


Sunny Sunday Smiles

by darthearts



Series: Light [5]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, omglookit'sfluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 09:34:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8662390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darthearts/pseuds/darthearts
Summary: What happens before, during, and after Michaeng's vlive.





	

**Author's Note:**

> It's fluff after 1593635123 years of angst.

Sometimes, Mina reminds Chaeyoung of the setting sun – the last rays of the evening casting a soft orange glow and basking her in gentle warmth, beckoning her to come home. It comforts her heart and any exhaustion or worry that she carries from the day is washed off by the mellow sunlight.

That is what surfaces in her mind as she watches Mina from afar.

Even though they are both at work (they have to film a vlive), Chaeyoung doesn’t feel that it’s work because the set is too homey, with the wooden furniture and heater that chases the cold away. She is also dressed in a brown sweater that is too snug, unlike the outfits they wear when they perform on stage. (Mina is also here with her, just the two of them alone.)

Mina is monitoring the camera work with a straight face and giving comments to the producer while donned in an oversized yellow sweater that ends at her thighs. She looks both professional and domestic at the same time, Chaeyoung cannot explain why the sight makes the warmth creep up into her cheeks. Chaeyoung has seen the homely version of Mina too many times, face bare of makeup and pink lips moisturized with lip balm, wearing hoodies and oversized sweaters that make her all the more huggable. This version of Mina has comfortable clothes on, but a face full of makeup – new to Chaeyoung, but not foreign. (Mina is never foreign to her.)

Their vlive has been delayed by ten minutes due to some problem with the cameras and Mina has gotten herself involved with the camerawork, suggesting angles to shoot from and changes to the filming set. Chaeyoung stands a distance away but she can still hear Mina’s quiet yet firm voice.

This is one of Mina’s many charms. She is soft-spoken but everyone listens to her attentively, managing to garner attention with her elegance and charisma. She seldom takes charge when she is with the rest of Twice, respecting both Jihyo and Nayeon. But now that she’s alone with Chaeyoung, she becomes much more of a respectable older figure. It makes Chaeyoung want to call her _unnie_ , the term of endearment suddenly holding more meaning when it comes to Mina.

When Mina is done discussing with the camera crew, she flashes a sweet smile at them and bows in thanks before heading to Chaeyoung’s side. The dorky side of Mina returns as she touches Chaeyoung’s elbow, grinning widely and her eyes closing as she does so. Even so, Mina still remains very much an unnie to Chaeyoung because she looks relaxed and confident, reassuring Chaeyoung that things will be okay during the broadcast.

“Nervous?” Mina asks, wearing a smaller smile this time, but just as bright.

“A bit,” she says, biting her lower lip.

The older girl traces light circles on Chaeyoung’s skin, the touch calming her racing heart immediately, but leaving goose bumps in its wake and instilling a different kind of nervousness in Chaeyoung. The nervousness is not something alien to her, but rather a feeling she is well-acquainted with. It has her averting her eyes and swallowing because her throat is suddenly dry. It happens a lot whenever she is with Mina and she knows very well what this feeling is.

But giving a name to these feelings will make things too real (maybe painful even), so Chaeyoung hides them away in the recesses of her heart, refuses to acknowledge its existence. Try as she might, it gets harder and harder to ignore them because each time she sees Mina, the feelings spill over and wave after wave crash against her, the feelings getting more and more real each time. Her heart is chanting something repeatedly but she’s too afraid to discern it.

Mina doesn’t stop caressing her skin, raising an eyebrow at her, and looking surprised by her answer, “Really? You look perfectly fine though.”

“I’m nervous on the inside,” Chaeyoung says, stressing on the last word and pulling a long face.

Mina laughs at the way Chaeyoung scrunches up her whole face in an attempt to look sad, eyes snapping shut while she leans into Chaeyoung, burying her face into the crook of her neck. Her arms are slipped around Chaeyoung’s waist, pulling the young one even closer. Chaeyoung catches a hint of jasmine as Mina hugs her tightly, as if she’s afraid Chaeyoung might disappear if she doesn’t hold on tightly enough.

All Chaeyoung sees is the bright yellow of Mina’s sweater, her vision suddenly filled with the colour of the sun.

“You don’t have to be. Our fans already love you. You’re perfect just the way you are,” Mina mumbles against her neck, lips brushing against Chaeyoung’s skin.

Then there is that feeling again – parched throat and all nerves.

It wraps around her heart and she doesn’t quite understand how she feels both calm and anxious at the same time, like she wants to run away but stay in Mina’s embrace all at once. It’s all too confusing but it’s not _bad_ per se, so she allows herself to be engulfed by this feeling, allows Mina to hold her longer than necessary.

Mina pulls away after a while, but she doesn’t let go of Chaeyoung, smiling as she says, “You’ll do well.”

The older girl looks too trustworthy, too dependable that Chaeyoung cannot contain herself.

“ _Unnie_ ,” she blurts, the word sneaking past her lips before she can even bite her tongue to stop herself.

Mina hums, eyes wide and inviting, “Hmm?”

Chaeyoung just shakes her head, inwardly chiding herself for not being able to control herself, “No, nothing. I just felt like calling you that.”

The older girl blinks in surprise, pink lips parted slightly. She then breaks into a tender smile and Chaeyoung’s rendered speechless because she cannot help but think that the shine in Mina’s eyes is definitely not the reflection of the set lighting.

“Silly,” Mina calls her affectionately.

Mina has the sun in her eyes and Chaeyoung feels like she would do anything to keep Mina like this – warm and bright, like a candle in the darkest night.

///

At first, it’s all kinds of awkward and uncomfortable, for Chaeyoung at least. Mina doesn’t seem to mind too much, looking rather at ease with how she’s greeting the fans happily. She brushes the awkwardness off with a simple “it’s awkward” and giggles before moving on. Chaeyoung keeps her words to herself, because she’s worried that the awkwardness might worsen if she actually voices out her thoughts. She fidgets, shifting a little and Mina adjusts the blanket until it reaches to their torso.

Chaeyoung wants to lie on her side, but Mina is too close, so she just faces the ceiling instead. She knows that the camera can probably capture her every expression but she cannot resist stealing glances at Mina every now and then. It really isn’t the first time Chaeyoung is this close to Mina – they’ve hugged and all that – but somehow, sharing the same bed makes the already close proximity feel even more intimate. Chaeyoung isn’t sure if it’s something about the set or the way they are cuddled up together on the bed, but she can hear her heart thumping in her ears. Or maybe it’s the way both the excitement and nostalgia are written on Mina’s face that make her look even more beautiful under the set lighting.

The girl has on a sunny Sunday evening smile while reminiscing about the _kotatsu_ in her grandmother’s house back in Japan, retelling stories of how she used to fall asleep there and get scolded. It isn’t hard for Chaeyoung to imagine a younger, shorter version of Mina curling up in a _kotatsu_ , drifting off to sleep serenely, looking every bit as adorable as she is now. The thought has Chaeyoung chuckling, kind of wishing she could travel back in time just to witness it.

Their conversation revolves around the theme of winter and Mina starts talking about the things she wants to do when it’s winter. Mina comes from a relatively wealthy family but it doesn’t surprise Chaeyoung when her to-do list for winter sounds so simple because the girl is very down-to-earth. Mina just thinks of snow, tangerines and long padded coats in winter and she sounds so unfussy and unpretentious that Chaeyoung frowns – how can someone be so flawless?

“Winter reminds me of snowmen, tangerines, love, letters and confessions,” Chaeyoung shares.

“That’s romantic,” Mina comments.

“You know, there’s a saying that if you confess during a first snow, your relationship will work out.”

As soon as the words leave her mouth, the image of Mina grinning, brown hair decorated by white snow, surfaces in her head. It’s so very endearing, Chaeyoung can feel her heart clench in response. She blinks the image away, and she wants to laugh at herself because she is dreaming about Mina even though she’s right in front of her, just an arm’s distance away.

Her fingers twitch underneath the blanket, longing and yearning for someone. But she clenches her fist, pretends that the craving doesn’t exist (even though it gets harder to resist).

“We’ve also sung a confession song, remember?”

Mina starts casually singing a line from the song while she shifts to lie on her side to read the comments on the phone more comfortably. The line happens to be ‘I like you’ and Chaeyoung can only swallow at the confession that is not directed at her.

As Mina finds a comfortable position, Chaeyoung feels a brush against her bare legs. She freezes up immediately, feeling her throat go dry at the skin contact. Mina doesn’t move her leg away and she can feel smooth, naked skin against her own. The touch is feathery, light and barely there, but it makes her grip the phone tighter, bewildered at the conflicting urges she feels – to flinch and pull away or remain there.

Then Mina fidgets again, this time boldly grazing their bare legs together, causing Chaeyoung to lose all train of thought, glancing at Mina instinctively. She doesn’t even realize how she manages to carry on the conversation with Mina subconsciously. She is too aware of the warmth of Mina’s bare legs chasing away the cold of her skin.

As if that isn’t enough to just about drive Chaeyoung crazy, Mina talks about her favourite song and she looks so excited to share it with the fans. The older girl looks so at home and cozy, with the bed sheets in a disarray, her yellow sweater looking too large on her. Her eyes are clear and vivid, the light in them so soft and beautiful, they mock the sun, moon and all the stars combined.

Her soft voice is mellifluous and her giggles create their own harmony, lulling Chaeyoung into a daydream of tangled legs under warm bed sheets and intertwined fingers coupled with matching heartbeats. It has Chaeyoung’s heartbeat running away, but it also breaks down all of Chaeyoung’s walls, wrapping her up in a cocoon of affection. (Mina always gives the people she loves tender loving care and Chaeyoung is never more grateful to have Mina.)

“I close my eyes while listening to this song and it feels like I’m going deeper into bed,” she chuckles whilst shyly revealing her attachment to the song.

“I think it goes really well with you. When I listen to my favourite songs at night, I have to draw or write something. I can’t stay still.”

“That sounds a lot like you,” Mina says, like she understands Chaeyoung.

Most people brush it off as a symptom of youth when she tells them these things, attributing it to her current stage of life as a young adult with dreams too big to fit in that small body of hers. They see her art, the way she expresses her feelings and thoughts, as something that isn’t desirable. Nayeon tells her that she’s still young enough to be up in the middle of the night and doing ‘random stuff’. Jihyo sounds jaded when she tells Chaeyoung to concentrate on composition and rap rather than such ‘meaningless’ things. She understands why they say such things, because they are pragmatic people and the leaders of Twice, Jihyo as the appointed leader and Nayeon as the oldest.

Mina doesn’t tell her all these things, she simply says that it sounds like her and it somehow comforts Chaeyoung. The fact that someone understands and accepts her the way she is, embraces her and tells her it’s alright, puts Chaeyoung’s heart at ease. It warms her immensely, like sunlight tap-dancing on her skin on a cool winter’s day, never too intense, and always gentle.

Mina makes Chaeyoung feel lots of things and most of the time, she makes her feel conflicted and lost. But when Mina takes her hand firmly and intertwines their fingers together, she thinks that maybe getting lost isn’t a bad thing after all, especially when home is always right next to her.

///

The scent of jasmine is everywhere, but it’s not overpowering – somewhat soft and gentle on her lungs. It’s a very familiar scent and Chaeyoung now knows why Mina always carries with her a hint of jasmine everywhere she goes.

Mina is sitting up and capping the perfume bottle, blanket pooling at her calves. Smooth thighs are revealed, barely covered by that sorry excuse of a sweater. Chaeyoung looks up at Mina, unconsciously letting her eyes travel up and down Mina’s lean figure, only hidden by rather skimpy (to Chaeyoung at least) clothes.

There is a soft smile playing at her lips and Mina looks all _woman_. She has always been feminine, but now she looks like the reincarnation of Aphrodite. Her beauty looks ethereal under these lights and Chaeyoung feels that feeling again, thrashing in her heart, demanding for the latter to acknowledge it. She cannot contain herself, letting out a squeal as Mina stretches to place the bottle at the head of the wooden frame of the bed.

“That’s so girly,” she giggles, a hand flying up to hide her smile.

“Did you fall in love with me?” Mina teases.

The answer slips past her lips even before she realizes it.

“Yes.”

“Oh.” Mina stills.

Then the realization hits her hard, and she blurts the first thing that comes to mind, “I can’t do that.”

Chaeyoung wonders what she herself really meant when she said that, but it’s too confusing. She steals a glance at Mina, who has her eyes wide open in surprise, pink lips slightly parted. Hiding her expression, she turns to the cookie monster plushie on her right, fingers fiddling with it uneasily. She bites her tongue in regret, hoping that Mina brushes it off as a joke.

A kind of frustration surfaces in her due to her own lack of awareness. It’s always like this – she forgets everything when she is with Myoui Mina. Mina has this uncanny ability to make her forget things – the presence of cameras and other people, her identity as a member of Twice. She chides and berates herself for it but it continues to persist, happening over and over again.

“I have many stuffed animals on my bed,” she tries, changing the subject.

“That’s right,” the older girl agrees too easily.

Chaeyoung peeks at Mina, noticing how her previous expression has been schooled to one that is for the cameras. She is all casual smiles, but her eyes are suddenly less clear. The brightness is still there, but the light seems muted, like it’s all covered up, like clouds blocking the sun.

Chaeyoung feels her chest tighten and it’s uncomfortable to the point where it actually physically hurts.

As their conversation continues about her soft toys, Chaeyoung knows that even though the moment has passed, the feeling has not. Something has changed between them, even though she doesn’t know exactly what. (She sees it in Mina’s eyes.)

///

The vlive ends without a hitch and Mina drags Chaeyoung all over the studio to thank each staff individually. Even though Mina is tired (the younger girl notices her slightly squared in shoulders), she is still painfully polite and it’s something very admirable of her. It makes Chaeyoung feel secure, knowing that Mina is not the type of person to be easily swayed by emotions, that Mina is constant.

Chaeyoung throws herself against the car seat, watching Mina climb in and slide the door shut. The girl leans against the seat, exhaling as she does so. Chaeyoung questions if Mina would ask her about her slip-up earlier, but seeing how weary she looks, Chaeyoung doubts it, convinced that it is no longer on Mina’s mind. Their manager looks at them through the rear view mirror, eyeing them with sympathy.

“The journey’s going to take a while. You guys can get some shut-eye first.”

Mina nods before turning to look at Chaeyoung with half-lidded eyes and a dopey smile. Anyone can tell that she is only running on pure adrenaline alone. And yet, she taps her own shoulder, inviting Chaeyoung to lean on her.

“You can rest on my shoulder, Chaeyoungie,” she mumbles.

Chaeyoung wants to tell Mina that she doesn’t need to be strong – an _unnie_ – twenty-four seven, that she can depend on others. That is why she shakes her head, smiling in thanks and resisting the urge to hug Mina because Mina purses her lips cutely at the rejection. But she doesn’t seem to think too much about it, turning towards the window to gaze at the lights that illuminate the night. Chaeyoung herself plugs in her earphones, allowing the music to wash away the exhaustion of the say.

It is nights like these, when the day is over and the tension leaves her, that make Chaeyoung think the most. She allows herself to stare into the distance, eyes unfocused, watching the lights outside flicker by. It reminds her of firecrackers that she used to play with her younger brother, the memory causing a smile to grace her features.

It isn’t long before she feels a weight on her right shoulder every now and then. Mina is nodding off to sleep – even in her unconsciousness, she’s trying not to depend on Chaeyoung. The younger girl cannot help but smile, using her left hand to guide Mina to rest on her shoulder. Her unnie rests on her shoulder, and Chaeyoung feels her heart ache at how tired she looks.

A few locks of hair fall over Mina’s face and Chaeyoung brushes away the strands, tucks them behind her ear gently. Her heart suddenly clenches and she thinks that there is that feeling again; but it’s not nerves this time round, but something more. Her heart is chanting something and it’s getting so loud Chaeyoung can no longer ignore it.

_Love. Love. Love._

It makes Chaeyoung clench her fist and bite her inner lip because she suddenly feels tears come to her eyes. A sudden urge to protect this girl leaning on her arises and Chaeyoung finds that she cannot fight this surge of emotions that only seem to build and overflow. Mina, who puts others before herself, who is always polite, who is reliable and dependable, who is as beautiful as the sun, deserves all the happiness in the world and Chaeyoung wants to be the one to give that to her.

(Their manager steals a peek at the two, lips spreading into a smile when she sees Mina sleeping soundly on Chaeyoung’s shoulder.)

///

By the time Chaeyoung falls face flat on her bed, it’s 2am in the morning. She closes her eyes, trying to sleep, but something keeps her tossing and turning, wide awake even though her body cries for rest. Her heart seems to be missing something so she tip-toes out of her room and into Mina’s shared room, not wanting to wake the rest of them up.

Nayeon has her mouth wide open and Chaeyoung snickers at the unglamorous position the oldest member is in. Mina is already fast asleep, lying on her side gracefully. The room has a hint of jasmine and it makes Chaeyoung wonder if Mina sprayed the jasmine perfume just now. The darkness of the room renders her nearly blind and she accidentally stubs her toe against an unidentified object, causing her to hiss in pain.

“Chaeyoungie?” she hears Mina croak and she mutters a curse under her breath, wanting to hit herself for awakening Mina.

She shakes her head even though Mina cannot see clearly, whispering, “Go back to sleep, unnie.”

“What are you doing here?”

Because she cannot say that she just wants to see her, she lies, “It’s nothing. Sleep, unnie.”

“Come here,” Mina coaxes, voice low and hoarse.

Chaeyoung follows obediently, crouching by Mina’s bed. The older girl wraps her fingers around her wrist firmly, tugging on it.

“Sleep with me,” she says, her voice still thick with sleep.

“What?”

“I’m not letting go, so just sleep here. I need a cuddle buddy,” Mina whines softly.

The grip on her wrist is too tight, and Mina is too adorable to deny. So Chaeyoung slips between the sheets, immediately feeling the warmth that Mina radiates. Mina snuggles into her, wrapping her arms around her waist, burying her face into the crook of Chaeyoung’s neck. She tangles their legs together, the action so intimate, it has Chaeyoung hoping that Mina wouldn’t hear her heart pound.

Chaeyoung does the only thing her heart knows, envelops Mina in her embrace, surrounding her with love.

“Please love me,” Mina whispers, pulling away a little to look at Chaeyoung.

The sun is in her eyes again and Chaeyoung cannot fathom how Mina’s eyes still shine so strong and bright in the darkest of nights. The vulnerability in her voice is unmistakable and Chaeyoung wants to keep the sun in Mina’s eyes forever.

Overwhelmed, she can only murmur feebly, “Okay.”

It seems like a good enough answer because Mina squeezes Chaeyoung tighter, pulls her closer like she never wants to be apart. Mina falls asleep like that, listening and memorizing the rhythm of Chaeyoung’s heart.

Chaeyoung feels her heart beat for the girl in her arms. Tomorrow, she would tell Mina that she loves her.

But for now, she keeps Mina safe in her arms, waiting for the sun to rise.

///

Chaeyoung blinks awake, squinting as her eyes take time to adjust to the light. Sunlight filters through the curtains, enveloping the room with a quiet luminosity. She yawns, slowly coming to her senses. When she sees Mina soundly asleep beside her, she feels the sleep leave her instantly, a sense of contentment filling the void quickly. With the memory of last night still fresh in her mind, she thinks that she will never forget the way Mina nuzzled in her embrace, being the little spoon.

Somehow, over the course of the night, it seems like their hands have found each others’ because Mina’s fingers are intertwined with hers. The girl is partially draped over Chaeyoung and Chaeyoung’s arm is numb, but she doesn’t really care, not when Mina is with her. Their legs are all tangled up under the sheets and it reminds Chaeyoung of the vlive they did yesterday. The only difference is that Chaeyoung feels more comfortable and at ease, wanting to be in contact with Mina at all times. If she could, she would want to etch herself into Mina’s skin, maybe rest and settle beside Mina’s heart and memorize the way her heart beats.

Mina looks more than beautiful, with her closed lids and parted lips. Dark brown hair splayed on Chaeyoung’s chest and arm, Chaeyoung feels like the lead in a romance drama because she is suddenly tempted to trace Mina’s features, like a whipped and love-sick fool.

The sunlight makes Mina’s pale skin glow and Chaeyoung’s finger itch to touch, but she feels like she shouldn’t taint such beauty and radiance. So she only allows her thumb to draw light circles on the skin of Mina’s hand, circles gradually turning into the shape of a heart.

Mina stirs awake, eyes fluttering open. Her lips spread into a dopey grin upon seeing Chaeyoung, squeezing Chaeyoung’s hand as a greeting. Mina has on a sunny Sunday morning smile on this time and it has the younger girl’s heartbeat running away, because now Mina looks like the sunrise. It is an endearing sight that makes Chaeyoung want to kiss her, but Chaeyoung figures that she should fulfil her promise to herself last night first.

“Good morning, beautiful. I love you.”

And then she leans in to press her lips against Mina’s.


End file.
